love on the other side
by Black Lilys
Summary: Set after HBP. Laura Trenton has been living in Australia since she was 10. Before she starts her 7th year at her school her father gets a new job back in England so they move back to her home country. Things rapidly change for her, is she going to get he
1. Chapter 1

OK, as you may already know. I don't own Harry Potter. However if I did I'd be going out with Daniel Radcliffe and be best mates with Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, hehe. So, enjoy!

We walked into our new house with all of our bags with only the feelings of tiredness and relief.

"We're finally here." I sighed, slumping on our sofa that had arrived only days ago along with the rest of our furniture. My parents sat down in two armchairs close by the fireplace to have a small break.

We had bought a neat property on Privet Drive. It was fairly big with a small neat front garden with a small pond in the middle. It had four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, a lounge, a dining room and a rather spacious attic which would be converted into my room.

After sitting in the lounge for about five minutes an owl swooped down the chimney and dropped a letter on my lap before swooping back up the chimney.

"Bloody hell what was that?" Dad said in an alarmed tone.

"Dad; relax. It was an owl with a letter for me." I said calmly. My parents had never been around when I received my letters from my old school, Stirrupford School of Magic, so they didn't know how I got them. I turned the envelope around to see a deep red seal on the back. I slowly opened it and brought out a piece of parchment saying:

_Dear Miss Trenton,_

You have been invited to join Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You will need to go to Diagon Alley to buy everything you will need before you start your year at Hogwarts.

Since you do not know where Diagon Alley is I have asked one of the students who lives quite close to you to take you there, this student will also escort you to Platform 9 3/4 where you shall be taken to Hogwarts. The school term starts on 1st September and the train leaves at 11 'o' clock sharp, so do not be late.

Also looking at your records from your previous school we have decided to make you a Prefect, congratulations and I hope you settle in well.

Yours Faithfully,

Professor Minerva McGonagall

Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Inside was a Prefect badge and a list of what I'd need for the year.

"I've got into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." I said, looking up at my parents.

"That's great love! When do you start?" Mum asked, coming over and hugging me.

"1st September." I replied, hugging her back. "And I'm a Prefect."

"That's excellent love!" Mum said. "Let's celebrate, how about a pizza?"

"Yeah, that'll be great, d'ya know where the closest pizza place is?" I asked.

"I found out before we arrived, and the local chinese and chippy." She smiled. She ordered a hawaain for me and a margherita for her and Dad to share whilst I fed Midnight, my cat that I'd had since my first year at Stirrupford; and took my bags, broom, and cage upstairs. When they arrived we sat on the sofa eating our pizza and watching TV.

"By the way I'm being taken to Diagon Alley to get my stuff tomorrow by someone who lives close to us." I said as an advert came on.

"OK Laura, what time?" Dad asked, taking a bite out his slice.

"Noon." I replied, finishing my last slice. "Well, I'm off to bed. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Night Laura." They said as i walked up the stairs to my room. My bed was set out along with my desk and bedside table. I walked over to my bed to find Midnight curled up at the bottom of my bed.

"Night Midnight." I whispered, stroking her sleek black fur. She slowly opened her bright yellow eyes and purred as I tickled under her chin where her little white spot was.

"I'll see ya in the morning." I said before getting ready for bed and falling asleep


	2. Chapter 2

Right, let's just say Laura knows she's going to be a Gryffindor with Harry, to save complication later, enjoy!

The next morning I woke to find the sun beating down on my face and Midnight nipping at my toes.

"OK; I'm up, I'm up." I groaned sleepily, pulling myself out of bed. I wrapped my soft pink dressing-gown around me and pondered downstairs before feeding her and making myself breakfast. When I had washed up I walked back upstairs to have a shower before putting on a pair of dark jeans and a cute pink t-shirt. I brushed my shoulder length, blond hair into tight pigtails, putting on a bit of mascara and a slick of lip-gloss and going downstairs to watch TV.

Time seemed to drag by until after what felt like an eternity the clock chimed twelve and at that moment there was a knock at the door.

"Mum! Dad! I'm off!" I shouted, walking towards the door.

"OK, have fun!" Mum shouted in reply. I took a deep breathe and opened the door.

He had raven black hair which was quite messy and green eyes, not a sea green like mine, they were emerald green that sparkled in the sun. He wore circular glasses that magnified his eyes even more; behind his hair I could see the outline of a lightning bolt scar.

"Hi, I'm–" He started.

"Y-You're Harry Potter, aren't you?" I stammered, unable to believe what I was seeing.

"So I'm even known on the other side of the world." He grinned. There was something about his grin that was so… cheeky, devilish. Almost gorgeous…

"Yeah, everyone talks about you. But I lived here for ten years before I moved over there, but that was before I could start Hogwarts." I replied, returning the grin. "By the way I'm Laura, Laura Trenton."

"Anyway… Shall we go?" He asked, quickly shaking my hand.

"OK, so how we gettin' there?" I replied.

"You can apperate, right?" He said.

"Nope, I'm not seventeen until September." I replied.

"I can." He said, he took my hand and pulled me close to him sending a small shiver up my spine which, luckily, he didn't notice. When we'd apperated I was just trying to get rid of the dizziness I had. After I could see properly we walked along the busy streets to somewhere called 'The Leaky Cauldron'.

"I'm just meeting up with some of my friends; you don't mind, do you?" He said as we walked inside.

"No, it's fine." I replied politely. A moment later we saw a boy bound up to us grinning happily.

"Harry, you all right mate?" He said, giving Harry a friendly hand shake. He was quite tall with bright red hair and light blue eyes.

"Hey Ron, yeah I'm good thanks." Harry replied. "Oh, and this is Laura, she's transferred from Australia. Laura, this is one of my best mates Ron, we've known each other since first year."

"Nice to meet you Laura." Ron said, shaking my hand as well. "Have you guys seen-"

"HARRY!" A girl shouted as she darted over and flung her arms around Harry.

"Hey Hermione!" Harry replied, hugging her back as I felt something stab into my stomach.

"Hey Hermione!" Ron said.

"Hey Ron." Hermione replied, about to hug him but settled with a hand shake. I looked at Harry who was grinning.

"By the way Hermione this is Laura; she's new and just came in from Australia. Laura, this is Hermione, my other best friend who I've known since first year."

"Hi." She said, giving me a small wave. Hermione had wavy brown hair with matching chocolate brown eyes, and about the same height as me.

"Hi." I replied, waving back. We walked back out into the bustling street and got down to business, we got my robes and found all the books we needed whilst finding out we were doing a lot of classes together.

I had Potions, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration and Herbology with all three of them along with Care of Magical Creatures with Ron, Ancient Runes and Divination with Hermione and Charms with Harry. _'So at least I have one lesson with just him…'_ I thought. _'What are you on about? He's your FRIEND, you can't go thinking that.'_

"So what are we gonna do now? Just hang around?" I asked.

"Let's go see Fred and George!" Ron said excitedly.

"Yeah, their shop isn't that far away!" Harry replied.

"Harry? Who are Fred and George?" I asked.

"They're my brothers! They own 'Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes'. You seen it?" Ron butted in, grinning.

"Sorry no." I replied.

"Don't worry, you will in a minute." He grinned before turning around and darting down the street with Harry leaving myself and Hermione to get there in our own time.

"You know where it is, don't you?" I asked, smiling.

"Luckily, yeah. I don't do running; it's never been my thing." Hermione replied, smiling back.

"Same here, I've always hated sports, except for Quidditch. I love it." I said. "What about you?"

"I prefer to watch than play." She replied.

"Well, it's your opinion." I said, shrugging.

"Finally, someone sees sense." Hermione sighed. "Harry and Ron are always badgering me to play the damn sport and it gets quite tiring after a while."

"I get what you mean. My brother Dave always used to pester me to play rugby. I never saw a point in the game." I said.

Dave is my older brother. He still lives in Australia with his wife Jane and son Keiron. We were never at the same school at the same time since he's seven years older.

"You're a muggle-born!" She asked; a look of surprise on her face.

"Yeah, why?" I asked.

"I'm muggle-born too!" She replied excitedly, hugging me.

"Yay! I thought I was the only one!" I said, hugging her back. After a while of walking and talking we arrived outside a brightly painted shop with the words 'Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes' painted elegantly over the top.

"Here we are." She said, before walking inside. I trailed in behind her to find Harry and Ron deep in conversation with two men.

They were twins. Both tall with bright red hair; just like Ron's. As we walked in they looked over and waved at Hermione.

"Hey Hermione!" They said in unison, walking over and giving her a hug.

"Hey Fred, hey George." She replied, hugging them back. "Guys, this is Laura. She's moved here from Australia and is starting Hogwarts this year. Laura, this is Fred and George."

"Hi." I said shyly, shaking both of their hands. We walked over to where Ron and Harry were as they were deep in a conversation about Quidditch.

"England are gonna thrash Ireland in the World Cup." Harry argued.

"No way, Ireland are the best!" Ron said.

"Actually, they're both pretty good. But my money's on England." I butted in. They stared at me with disbelief in what I'd just said.

"How long have you been a fan of Quidditch?" Ron asked.

"Since first year. I was on the house team too." I answered.

"What position?" Harry asked.

"Chaser." I replied.

"Cool." Harry said.

"So you play Quidditch?" I asked.

"Play? Harry's CAPTAIN of the Gryffindor team! And the Seeker!" Ron exclaimed as Harry blushed slightly.

"You're a Seeker?" I said. "I tried being one once; could never find the damn Snitch so I became a Chaser instead. What year did you start?"

"First." He mumbled, staring at the floor.

"First year!" I said, amazed. "But… That's too early. I only started in my third."

"They made an exception with Harry." Ron grinned.

"Woah! Cool." I said _'Jen, Jenny and Becca are gonna love all this! I'm mates with THE Harry Potter!'_

Jen, Jenny and Becca were friends of mine who lived in Australia. We'd all met in the first year after the sorting of the houses at our house table and had been great mates since.

We carried on talking for a while until Ron and Hermione had to go.

"Harry, you know you're allowed to come to the Burrow if you want. Same with you Laura, Mum'd love to meet you." Ron said.

"No point, there's only a few days left now. Might as well stick around, help Laura out when needed." Harry replied, looking at me and smiling as I felt my cheeks get slightly hotter.

"Yeah, same here. My Mum and Dad would want me to stay home before I leave, maybe over Christmas or something." I said.

"OK, your choice. I'll see you two on the train." Ron said, and with that, he was gone.

"Bye Hermione!" I said, hugging her. "I'll see you on the train OK?"

"See ya!" She replied; and with that, she was gone as well.

"You seem to get on with Hermione pretty well now." Harry said as we walked out of 'The Leaky Cauldron'.

"Yeah, we both come from the same background so that helps." I replied.

"Wait, you're muggle-born?" He replied, giving me the same expression Hermione did when she first found out.

"Yeah." I replied.

"You must be bright then, like Hermione." He smiled. "Shall we go?"

"OK." I replied. He pulled me closer once more sending the same pleasant shiver up my spine before arriving outside my house.

"Thanks for helping me out today." I said.

"No problem." He said.

"You wanna come in for a while? I'm sure my parents wouldn't mind company for a while." I asked.

"Sure, why not?" He replied, and with that I opened the door and he followed me inside.


End file.
